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Remembering Halloween When I was your age, I loved Halloween. We had parties at school, and we all came dressed in strange costumes. Most of these costumes were homemade. Sometimes, there was a costume contest. We had scrumptious cookies. My mother made baked apples. On Halloween night, when it was pitch dark, we went trick-or-treating. Each of us carried a flashlight, and we stayed together in a group. Most people were very nice to us, but some people scowled at us. There was one house we never visited because we thought it was haunted. In those days, we didn’t have much candy. I divided my candy so that it would last until Thanksgiving.
Cities Cities can be wonderful places to visit. There are many people walking to work and to school. On the streets, taxis are hurrying to take people where they want to go. There are many places to go. Some people go to the park. Some like to shop. Others hurry to movies at night. My favorite place is the museum. The science museum has interesting exhibits. One of my favorites is about space travel. Many children find the zoo fascinating. There are many reptiles to see. The biggest animal I saw was a hippopotamus. When we visit the city, we eat in a restaurant. What do you like to do in the city?
Playing on a Team In third grade, many children play on sports team. Team sports are part of the culture. Soccer, baseball, football, hockey, and basketball are some sports that kids play. Team sports provide children with a chance to develop skills and self-confidence. They also teach children how to cooperate and be part of a team. Children learn how to listen and follow a coach. The team is what is important, not winning. Not all children play sports. Some children like to watch. There are many books about sports or the challenges of being on a team. Win, lose, or watch, sports can be an exciting way to spend your spare time all year long.
Communities All over the world, people live in communities. Some of these communities are small villages. Other communities are huge cities. There are differences among communities, but there are also many similarities. All communities have some stores and businesses. Communities have churches and schools. They have places where people work. Communities have governments. Sometimes, a community has a town council or board of commissioners. Most communities have a mayor and a town or city manager.
Winter Holidays The winter holidays are fun for everyone. Some people take trips to visit relatives who live in distant places. Some people even go to other countries over the long winter break. Families usually get together and have festive meals. The older relatives tell stories about the holidays when they were young. Many people like to watch or go to sports events during the holidays. Other people like to play sports instead of just watching. In cold places like Colorado, people skate, ski, and snowboard. In warm places like Florida, people swim, surf, and scuba dive. After a good, relaxing winter break, we should all be eager to get back to school.
Hanukkah December has a lot of different holidays depending on where you live, your religion, and your ethnic origin. Some people celebrate Hanukkah this month. Candles are a symbol of many holidays. When families celebrate Hanukkah, they have a menorah. My mother lights the menorah each day for eight days. She lights it at supper time. Children get presents for Hanukkah. Isabel likes getting toys for Hanukkah. Mel likes to get money best of all.
Kwanzaa Kwanzaa started so that African American people could learn more about their roots. People gather seven symbols to display in their homes for this holiday. Most people begin by lighting a black candle for unity. On the second day, a red candle is lit for self-determination. Each night a new candle is lighted to remind people of important principles. Families eat special food for good luck. Everybody rejoices during the Kwanzaa celebration. Do you celebrate this holiday?
Food Lover Eating is one of my very favorite things. I like all kinds of restaurants and all kinds of foods. I love spinach salads. I also like peas on salads. Fruit salads are great if they have a lot of watermelon. I love potatoes any way you can cook them. Rice is another of my favorite foods. I love all kinds of fish. I also love cheeseburgers. For dessert, I love all kinds of pie. I also like anything with chocolate in it. I am glad that there are so many fabulous foods to eat.
Energy We get energy from different sources. Lights, televisions, and dishwashers get their energy from electricity. Some people use electricity to heat their houses. Other houses are heated by gas, oil, or solar energy. Most cars, trucks, and buses get energy from gasoline. There are also some electric vehicles. Some people believe that in the future our cars will run on solar energy. In some places, nuclear power plants supply most of the energy needs. In many parts of the world, energy is created from wind and water.
Sculpture in the Black Hills For years, people have marveled at the faces of four U.S. presidents carved into Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Now, there is another face to see in the Black Hills. Work on the face of Crazy Horse, a famous Lakota Indian chief, began over fifty years ago. The face of Crazy Horse is huge. It is taller than the Washington Monument. Each eye measures 18 feet across. All four Mount Rushmore faces could fit inside the face of Crazy Horse. In 2008, the carving was still not finished. Sculptors are now busy carving Crazy Horse’s horse. More than one million visitors have already paid the visitor fee to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial and Indian Musuem.
Koalas Koalas are native animals in Australia. Koalas are not bears. They are in the same family as kangaroos. Koalas are only the size of jellybeans when they are born. They live inside their mothers’ pouches for the first six months of their lives. Once they start to wander around, they love to nibble eucalyptus leaves. A very unusual koala was born at the San Diego Zoo. This koala has a pink nose instead of a black one. Its fur is completely white. The zookeepers named this albino koala Onyi-Birri, which means “ghost boy” in the Aborigine language.
Summer Travel What if we were all granted one wish and could go anywhere in the world this summer? Logan might go to Switzerland and climb the tallest mountain. Jamie might spend the summer at the coast in Rhode Island. Brianna and Rom might go to Disneyland. Cassie might fly to London. Martin might spend the summer fishing at Lake Norman. Geri might go on a safari in Africa. Mrs. C. might go to Hawaii and take everyone in the class with her!
